Day: OSU hurt by lack of experience

Buckeyes' growing pains glaring in early games

Ryan Day said he did not set expectations for his 2021 Ohio State team, especially this early in the season.

The Buckeyes have plenty of talent, to be sure, but they also lost many key players from their College Football Playoff runner-up team. The lack of experience in a Covid-shortened season for players counted on to fill those voids was always going to be the wild card.

Through three weeks, the growing pains have been glaring. The No. 10 Buckeyes (2-1) had to rally against Minnesota, lost to Oregon and then didn’t put away big underdog Tulsa until late on Saturday in a 41-20 victory.

“First off, there’s no excuses,” Day said Tuesday. “We have to play at a high level. We have to execute in all three phases and play clean games and play hard.

“But if you’re looking at our team, you’re looking at a team where, coming off of last year, a lot of experience walked out of the building. Typically, those guys who would be stepping into the roles that they’re stepping into would have had a bunch of reps under their belt.”

Day noted that this year’s linebackers seldom got reps because of the multiyear starters ahead of them. Justin Fields threw every pass last season.

The linebacker play has not been up to Ohio State’s standards, and quarterback C.J. Stroud has been inconsistent.

The result is a team that is struggling to find its identity.

“I think one thing that we just all have to recognize is that you don’t just walk out with an Ohio State uniform and think you’re just going to go win,” Day said.

JOSHUA A. BICKEL/COLUMBUS DISPATCH Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud needs experience, so the plan is for him to play against Akron, rather than rest his sore shoulder.